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Beauden Barrett has suggested New Zealand will remain committed to adopting an enterprising approach when they host Argentina in round three of the Rugby Championship.
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The All Blacks were at their brilliant best in the first 50 minutes of their opening match against Australia, running in eight tries to charge into a scarcely believable 54-6 lead.
However, the Wallabies salvaged some pride by replying with 28 unanswered points and Michael Cheika’s men then came agonisingly close to winning the reverse fixture in Dunedin, with Barrett’s late try ultimately rescuing New Zealand.
Despite shipping 89 points in two meetings with Australia, Barrett insists he and his team-mates will not be tempted to play things safe at Yarrow Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s just about nailing our key roles in the moment, our skill execution. We weren’t as accurate as we needed to be early in the second test against Australia,” said the superstar fly-half.
“We can’t also go into a hole with our attacking game when we make two defensive errors. It’s about expressing ourselves and identifying that on the field and not having to shut up shop.
“So we’re encouraged to keep playing footy and identify what is exactly going wrong.”
Argentina come into this weekend’s match on the back of successive defeats to South Africa. Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade and All Blacks chief Steve Hansen have each made wholesale changes, with Vaea Fifita and Nehe Milner-Skudder among the notable starters for New Zealand.
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Beauden Barrett has a special message for all the #AllBlacks supporters in Taranaki #NZLvARG pic.twitter.com/CgQ075OwW6
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) September 8, 2017
All Blacks: 23
Pumas: 0
Draw: 1
KEY PLAYERS
All Blacks – Vaea Fifita
Fifita will make his first All Blacks start on Saturday and Steve Hansen has set high expectations for the flanker. “He’s probably one of the best athletes I’ve had anything to do with,” said the All Blacks coach. “I want to see a real physical beast that we know he can be. But we also want to see him do his core roles, dominate in the tackle, dominate when he carries, use his ball skills in the contact area as well. We’re expecting a lot from him because we believe he’s got a lot in him.”
Pumas – Benjamin Macome
Eyebrows were raised when Macome was selected ahead of Juan Manuel Leguizamon. The back-row forward has impressed for the Jaguares in Super Rugby, but has big boots to fill this weekend.
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THE LINE-UPS
All Blacks: Damian McKenzie, Israel Dagg, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Nepo Laulala, Luke Romano, Brodie Retallick, Vaea Fifita, Ardie Savea, Kieran Read (captain).
Replacements: Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Scott Barrett, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Lima Sopoaga, Ngani Laumape.
Pumas: Joaquin Tuculet, Santiago Cordero, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Emiliano Boffelli, Nicolas Sanchez, Tomas Cubelli; Lucas Noguera Paz, Agustin Creevy (captain), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Guido Petti, Matias Alemanno, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio, Benjamin Macome.
PRE-MATCH TALK
All Blacks skipper Kieran Read said of Argentina: “The history of this championship [shows] they’ve been very tough opponents for us, even here in New Zealand. They’re a dangerous side.”
Macome knows Argentina face the stiffest of tests. “We have to do everything perfect if we want to beat this team,” he said.
KEY STATS
– The All Blacks are undefeated in 24 previous encounters with the Pumas and have won 22 on the bounce since a 21-all draw in Buenos Aires in 1985.
– New Zealand have won all 13 of their home matches against Argentina, triumphing by an average margin of 36 points.
– This will be the first Test played at Yarrow Stadium since New Zealand defeated France 24-9 at the venue in June 2013.
